Radio România Internațional

Tag: Day of Romanian Diaspora

  • May 31, 2015 UPDATE

    May 31, 2015 UPDATE

    “Politicians are under a duty to find a solution for diaspora voting as soon as possible. This is a matter of respect, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on Sunday in a message sent on the occasion of the Day of the Romanians living abroad, celebrated for the first time this year. The head of state assured the Romanians that he would always be the guarantor of their fundamental rights and liberties, and added that a project has been initiated regarding the establishment of a Consultative Council of the Romanian Diaspora. On the other hand, voting in the diaspora is the main topic of a motion of censure that the Liberal Opposition intends to table against the Government on June 5. In last years presidential election, thousands of Romanians living abroad were unable to cast their ballots because of the flawed organisation of polling stations.



    Starting on June 1, in Romania the value-added tax on foodstuffs is cut from 24 la 9%. The measure is also applicable to non-alcoholic beverages and food services. The authorities estimate that the impact on the state budget this year will be roughly 1.1 billion euro. So far only the VAT on bread and pastry products has been 9%, since September 2013. Analysts believe that in the short run the reduction of the VAT for foodstuffs will have a positive effect, encouraging consumption, which is the main driving force of the economy. In the long term however, they warn that prices may gradually go up, generated by possible rises in the costs of utilities and fuels.



    The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, intends to have a meeting on Monday with the Ambassador of Russia to the EU, to get explanations with respect to the so-called “black list of Europeans whose access to Russia has been banned. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Brussels, Martin Schulz described Moscows measure as unacceptable and said it further hinders the efforts for a constructive dialogue aimed at finding a peaceful and long term solution to the current geo-political crisis. The list includes 89 names of former heads of government, senior defence officials and MEPs who were critical of Russias policy regarding the Ukrainian crisis and of Russias annexation of Crimea. Five of the 89 black listed officials are Romanians. Bucharest said it would request explanations in this respect as well.



    Romania won two bronze medals at the European Rowing Championships after Sundays finals held in Poznan, Poland. In the womens double sculls final, the Romanians came out third, after Great Britain and the Netherlands. Romanias womens eight team also won third place, with the gold won by Russia and the silver by the Netherlands.

  • May 31, 2015

    May 31, 2015

    May 31 marks the celebration of the Day of Romanians living abroad. On this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis assured the Romanians, in a message, that he would always be the guarantor of their fundamental rights and liberties. He has added that a project has been initiated regarding the establishment of a Consultative Council of the Romanian Diaspora. Moreover, a law that guarantees that all Romanians in the Diaspora will be able to vote remains a priority and a constitutional obligation of the political class, the Romanian President added. On the other hand, voting in the diaspora is the main topic of a motion of censure that the Liberal Opposition intends to table against the Government on June 5. In last years presidential election, thousands of Romanians living abroad were unable to cast their ballots because of the flawed organisation of polling stations.



    Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians around the world, including in Romania, celebrate the Pentecost or Whitsunday, marking the foundation of the Christian Church. Trinity Sunday celebrates every year the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the 12 Apostles, who were thus able to spread the word of God in languages they had never spoken before. On the same day, thanks to an inspired speech, St. Peter the Apostle converted 3,000 people to the Christian faith. This was the first Christian community in Jerusalem, the core of what was to become the Christian Church.



    The President of Romania receives this afternoon in Bucharest the Crown Prince of Britain, Charles. He comes frequently to Romania, where he owns real estate property. The Prince is interested in the Saxon medieval architecture in central Romania – citadels, fortified churches and houses built by the German settlers who came to Transylvania in the Middle Ages, whose descendants also include President Iohannis.



    The EU continues to harshly criticise the Russian authorities over the “black list that denies access to Russia for 89 Europeans, including former heads of government, senior defence officials and MEPs. Five Romanians are on that list: Adrian Cioroianu, a former Foreign Minister, Iulian Chifu, a former state adviser, Tiberiu Liviu Chondon, chief of staff of the Naval Forces, Gheorghe Haţegan, deputy manager of Transgaz, and Eugen Tomac, a former secretary of state for the Romanian diaspora. The Romanian Foreign Ministry said the Romanian Embassy in Russia received a list of people whose access to Russia is banned, and will request explanations in this respect. The list was made public in the context of the sanctions applied by the EU against Russia after its annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea last March. Romania has always voiced support for neighbouring Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity and has criticised Moscows involvement in this issue.



    Italy holds local elections today in 7 of the countrys 20 regions. The ballot is a test for the left-of-centre PM Matteo Renzi. The candidate lists include 50 Romanians, but most of them on positions that are not eligible. In a statement to the Radio Romanian correspondent in Italy, one of the candidates said the interest in this election among the Romanian community in Italy is rather low, because most Romanians hope to be returning to their home country and are not interested in the administration of the towns and villages where they live. Italy hosts the largest Romanian community abroad, with more than 1 million people.



    The Romanian tennis player Andreea Mitu (no. 100 WTA) is playing today in the eighth-finals of the French Open against the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck (no. 93 WTA). In the same tournament, the Romanian – Slovenian pair Horia Tecău / Katarina Srebotnik faces, in the mixed doubles quarter-finals Robert Lindstedt (Sweden) and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain). In the mixed doubles Round 2, Florin Mergea (Romania) / Michaella Krajicek (the Netherlands) are playing against Marcin Matkowski (Poland) / Lucie Hradecka (the Czeck Republic). The Romanians Horia Tecău (together with the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer) and Florin Mergea (with the Indian Rohan Bopanna) will be facing each other in the mens doubles eighth-finals.